


What Comes After the Fire

by MitzvahRose



Series: What If... [4]
Category: Marvel (Comics), Spider-Man (Comicverse), Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: Carnage is Trying - Freeform, Kasady's Still Nuts - Freeform, Marvel Universe, Nice(ish) Carnage - Freeform, Peter is done, Sarcastic Peter - Freeform, With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility, post AXIS
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-14
Updated: 2017-07-14
Packaged: 2018-12-02 06:04:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11503287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MitzvahRose/pseuds/MitzvahRose
Summary: ***TEASER***So, somehow, Carnage got stuck with a conscious that he doesn't know how to handle. Guess who has to clean up his messes while the ex-villain tries to figure things out? It was one thing for Spider-Man to build a damn statue in the guy’s honor, but it's another thing entirely to act as his super-mentor!// What if Carnage didn’t entirely revert back after Axis?





	What Comes After the Fire

**Author's Note:**

> Btw, I'm not a close follower of the fandom. Wish I'd get around to reading the series, but it's kinda hard for me to catch up… *Sweatdrops* Regardless, I'll see what I can do with Spidey, and please do inform me if there’s anything drastic I've neglected. Just, no flames, ok? I’m doing my best with my limited knowledge. :3
> 
> Oh, and if anyone’s wondering, Venom’s totally my favorite symbiotic being~ The only reason I'm doing Carnage instead is cause I just love the Shattered Glass reversal thing they did with Axis! I mean, really? The villains and heroes? Swapping moralities? Please excuse me while I go fan-squee.  
> In all seriousness though, I greatly enjoyed the concept. So much so that I read Carnage’s spinoff despite NOT being a fan of gore. In fact, I still need to read Loki’s… Anyways, enough of this, on with the story! And if you actually bothered to read all of this, I applaud you, lol :P  
> I hope you guys enjoy! :D I dunno when I'll be able to update this... so in the meantime I hope you guys like this little teaser (part of my mass onslaught of unfinished work).

“Urgh… Note to self: don't take _anything_ from Tony…” A weary groan came from a pile of rubble. After a minute or so the debris started to shift and a shredded red glove began to come into view. “Gah… A little help over here guys?” A pause, “ah... guys? Seriously?” Another groan. “Well, at least the battle’s over… I hope.”

Eventually, Spider-Man managed to climb out from under the debris that had covered him following Ironman’s attack. While doing so, however, Spidey hissed in pain as the burns on his left arm scraped against a metal bar. Wincing, the man looked at his bare arm. It wasn't just his arm though—his whole body ached, but hey, at least Spidey can still say that he's alive.

The man behind the mask grimaced at the thought, flashing back to a few minutes ago. Not everyone was as lucky as him, after all.

Crawling away from his personal trash mound, Spidey grumbled irritably upon seeing that nobody had stayed behind. “I can't believe they left me here! Ow- _owww_ …” He forced himself to stand despite the agonizing jolt that shot through his left leg. “Ah! Really took a beating there, didn't I? This sucks…” He scowled to himself, looking around at the mess left behind. The cleanup crew hadn't come along yet, probably too busy with the rest of the city. “I didn't even get to see the boss fight!”

Bemoaning his luck, the super limped away from the destruction he had just crawled out of, intending on webbing his way out and going straight home. Peter could practically hear his bed calling to him—the shower he desperately needed ( _‘And the paperwork, damn it Cap!’_ ) could wait until tomorrow.

Raising one of his arms into his signature webbing pose, Spidey paused, stiffening slightly. His spider-sense, though faint, had started tingling. Although, it seemed kinda… _off_.

Groaning (again), Spider-Man lowered his arm. Guess he’s going to have to hold off on sleeping after all. “Well, a hero’s work is never done…” Chuckling humorlessly, the super turned towards what his senses were warning him to move away from. But does he ever listen? _Nooo_ …

He grumbled as he trudged over; his left side _really_ starting to burn now. And he couldn't see whatever his senses were freaking out over!

Gaze narrowing, Spidey scanned the ground, wondering if one of the villains had returned to normal and was stuck under the rubble like he had been. Oh won't _that_ encounter be fun… Almost immediately, his eyes widened. _‘That can't be… Is that-?’_ Hesitantly stepping forward, he jumped in shock as a familiar red blob twitched a few feet away from him, previously laying inanimately on the ground. Spider-Man would know that blood red blob _anywhere_. “C-Carnage?!” He gasped out, staring at what was left of the symbiote. “But… Cletus…”

Snapping out of it, Peter warily stepped towards the alien, forgetting his own injuries as he saw the worryingly ( _‘I can't believe I'm worried about_ Carnage _…’_ ) small chunk left over. He couldn't help but wonder how it got here, no matter that it was even _alive_! The only explanation he could think of was that it had attached itself to someone and got dragged over during the chaos, but then what about Cletus? And that hardly explains how it survived in the first place…

Shaking his head in amazement, Spidey crouched down slightly, watching as the blob shivered. He flinched back slightly as the symbiote inched towards him and the thing quickly stilled. The web-slinger could only stare in bemusement as the goop seemed to shrink in on itself, almost as if it was _embarrassed_. Could it have…? “That's it. I've officially lost it.”

Against his better judgment, Spider-Man stuck out his hand, inviting the symbiote to climb on before he could change his mind. It seemed unsure, at least as unsure as a piece of sludge can look, and didn't do so immediately. This further surprised the hero who had been busy berating himself for his foolishness. “Well, come on… you. Get on,” he frowned, mostly in surprise as it didn't move. “I'm not going to leave you here alone, not where anyone can find you. That's just asking for trouble.”

A few seconds passed with the spider wondering if Kassidy’s crazy was contagious before the red symbiote finally slipped forward, oozing over his outstretched arm. Spidey stiffened, waiting for it to engulf him, but to his further shock it only covered his hand, not making any move to do anything else. At this unexpected turn of events Spidey couldn't help but just stare at the symbiote, crouching in the post-battle mess. “Well… This is awkward.”

**_“C-Cletussss…”_ **

Jerking up in shock, Spider-Man gaped at his blob encased hand. “Wha… Carnage?”

**_“F-find… Cletussss…”_ **

“You mean he's still alive?” Spidey continued to stare incredulously, mouth still hanging open. Absently he noted he probably looked ridiculous talking to himself, or really to some space jelly, but whatever. He's done weirder. “Seriously?”

**_“Yeeeesssss…”_ **

“Well, uh… That’s… great?”

**_“Musssst fi-fiind hossssst…”_ **

At that the hero shook his head, snapping out of his startled daze. “Now hold on just a second. I know I just invited you on—gods, what’s wrong with me?—but that doesn't mean I'm just going to waltz on over to Cletus, who’s bound to be back to his normal crazy self by now, and drop off part of his symbiote. That's just suicide! And I mean worse than my usual!”

Peter glared at the symbiotic alien, waiting. A good thirty seconds passed without it doing anything. At all. The hero grimaced, beginning to feel uncomfortable with the creature’s unusual behavior. “Look, I know you want to get back to the psycho for whatever reason, but I can't just—”

**_“Pleeeaasssse…”_ **

A blink. “…Say what now?”

**_“P-pleassse… Pleasssse take ussss to him…”_ **

Back to gaping it is then.

There was silence again as Peter attempted to wrap his head around what just happened, and if the crazy symbiote really just _politely_ asked him to—

**_“Weee… are ssssorry… Pleassse help ussss… Ssspider… Man…”_ **

“…I am so going to regret this.”

**Author's Note:**

> Would you guys be pissed if I brought back Patrick Mulligan? As in the original Toxin? I mean, the guy had so much potential and then they just killed him! Really Marvel?  
> Anyways, if you guys aren't opposed I’d like to have it so that Patrick never actually died or something. Maybe have it so that Carnage got, uh, pregnant a little later and closer to the current time. It would be so perfect for this story… Just imagine all the awkward father-son conversations! XD Not to mention that I don't think said conversations would work quite as well with Eddie as Toxin. ;) I know it screws with the timeline, but I would really like to make this work. If anyone has any ideas on how I could pull this off I'd greatly appreciate if you'd leave a review. However, if the majority of readers dislikes the idea than I can drop it. Maybe make a spin off or something, but it'll be saved for another day.


End file.
